Press Releases

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today in favor of the Democratic budget for Fiscal Year 2008 (H. Con. Res. 99) which passed the House by a vote of 216 to 210. The Senate passed their budget (S. Con. Res. 21) last week and the next step is for the two bills to be reconciled in conference committee. Larsen issued the following statement today: "This budget is the… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today in favor of the Wounded Warrior Assistance Act of 2007 (H.R.1538) which improves access to quality medical care for wounded service members at military facilities, cuts bureaucratic red tape and improves the transition of wounded service members from the Armed Forces to the Veterans Affairs system. This legislation passed the House… Read more »

   U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today in favor of legislation closing the loophole in the Patriot Act that grants the Attorney General the authority to make indefinite appointments of U.S. Attorneys without Senate confirmation (H.R. 580). This bipartisan bill passed the House by a vote of 329 to 78. Similar bipartisan legislation passed the Senate last week by… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) issued the following statement congratulating Governor Gregoire for her leadership on a Washington state pilot project for a passport alternative: “I commend Governor Gregoire for her leadership finding long-term solutions to the challenges we face on our Northern border. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will have a big impact on… Read more »

U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today in favor of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Health, and Iraq Accountability Act (H.R.1591). Larsen issued the following statement:  “It’s time for a change in direction. Instead of focusing our military and diplomatic energy on fighting a sectarian civil war, the Iraq Accountability Act re-focuses our efforts… Read more »

This week, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Rep. Adam Putman (R-FL), Rep. John Salazar (D-CO), Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-NY) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) introduced the “Equitable Agriculture Today for a Healthy America Act” (EAT Healthy America Act).  This bill would support specialty crop growers by increasing market access, encouraging and… Read more »

   U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today in favor of the Accountability in Contracting Act (H.R.1362) which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 347 to 73.  The House Armed Services Committee, of which Larsen is a member, approved the bill on Wednesday and sent it to the floor for a vote. Larsen issued the following statement today:… Read more »

At a House Armed Services Committee hearing today on the challenges and obstacles wounded and injured service members face during recovery, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) condemned reports of substandard conditions at Walter Reed and other Army facilities and urged Army Surgeon General Kevin C. Kiley, Army Chief of Staff General Peter J. Schoomaker, Under Secretary of Defense for… Read more »

Today, the House Natural Resources Committee passed legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) to make Wild Sky the first new Wilderness Area in Washington state in over twenty years. The next step will be a vote on the floor of the House. “We’ve reached the pinnacle of a long hike,” said Larsen. “Getting Wild Sky legislation through the House… Read more »

Friday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) reintroduced their proposal to help northern border communities cover the cost of detaining and prosecuting suspects charged with federal border crimes.  Cantwell introduced the bipartisan Northern Border Prosecution Initiative Reimbursement Act as an amendment to the Improving America’s… Read more »